Chicago’s new police superintendant, Garry McCarthy, made remarks that angered gun rights advocates earlier this month, when he referred to federal gun laws as “government-sponsored racism.” He was speaking at St. Sabrina, a liberal black church on Chicago’s South Side, in a neighborhood that has struggled with gun violence for years. The pastor is passionately in favor of limiting gun rights. So it’s clear that McCarthy was preaching to the choir when he said:

“So here’s what I want to tell you. See, let’s see if we can make a connection here. Slavery. Segregation. Black codes. Jim Crow. What did they all have in common? Anybody getting scared? Government sponsored racism. I told you I wasn’t afraid [of race]. I told you I wasn’t afraid.

“Now I want you to connect one more dot on that chain of the African American history in this country, and tell me if I’m crazy: Federal gun laws that facilitate the flow of illegal firearms into our urban centers across this country, that are killing our black and brown children.”

As the Sun Times and theHuffington Postpoint out, the response to McCarthy’s speech was swift and vitriolic. Writing on the Illinois State Rifle Association’s website, Richard Pearson said, “After several minutes of gratuitous self-promotion, McCarthy launched into a racially charged tirade in which he accused the NRA and law-abiding gun owners of participating in a government-sponsored program to kill black people. Like most of you, we believe an assertion such as McCarthy’s is too nutty to dignify with a response.”

McCarthy provided a more measured statement late last week, saying that “strong gun laws against illegal firearms are critical in order to maintain public safety and private rights.” He did not mention Pearson’s comments or the larger controversy.

McCarthy’s words, which he certainly could have thought out better, nevertheless represent his overall sentiment that gun laws need to be tightened. Given his history in Newark, he probably has many stories that support this assertion. He should – have spoken more thoughtfully, before asserting that federal gun laws are “government-sponsored racism,” which regardless of his true feelings, is a much more complicated issue that should not be tackled in a sound-byte by Chicago’s new police superintendant. But it’s also easy to understand why he ignored the responses that gun rights advocates threw his way.

The 'war on drugs' is the reason why we have increased death by gun. This is an exact repeat of the prohibition on alcohol. When the bad guys know the good guys have guns, they back off. They do not like getting shot. It is that simple. Now that we are putting people in jail for using 'weed' in their own home or having sex in an unapproved manner, there are less good people able to carry guns and protect themselves. The 'war on drugs' ill gained dollars go through (well armed) street gangs directly to the terrorists (drug trade) that are using the guns against the US. In this way, the US citizen is asked to pay for both sides of the mid-east take over. The gun is the best deterrent to crime. Protect your children and yourself, buy a gun and learn how to use it.

To a degree they may reflect such personal ideologies and prejudices........but the issue is much deeper and we must admit with our murder by gun record in the usa, there needs to be some type of reform, but i feel people without criminal records should be allowed to own guns........possibly revamp the gun shows, though.

Hotel clerk kills Orangeburg robber
JOHN MONK AND NOELLE PHILLIPS - jmonk@thestate.com, nophillips@thestate.com E-Mail
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A small woman in her 50s working as a hotel clerk at a Columbia area Days Inn shot and killed a robber more than double her size Monday morning, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.

The man, Vincent Carson, 43, of Orangeburg, had held a knife to her throat, put the knife down and was apparently going to tie her up and sexually assault her, Lott said.

He was a career criminal on a crime spree and would not have stopped except for what happened this morning, Lott said later Monday.

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The woman had been the victim of a prior robbery and had gotten permission from her hotel supervisor to carry a concealed pistol, Lott said.

She did not have a concealed weapons permit, but you dont need one on private property where you have permission, he said.

The clerk was preparing the hotels breakfast about 6 a.m. when the attack happened at the Days Inn at 133 Plumbers Road, near I-20 and Wilson Boulevard.

Carson was hiding in the breakfast room, apparently waiting to ambush her, Lott said. Carson had brought along cords to tie up the woman, Lott said, adding Carson weighed a good 250 pounds and was more than six feet tall.

"You are the one that wants to give guns out like chewing gum, not I. This is part of the consequence of doing so.
If you get your way to hand guns out to everyone who is going to be responsible?
Everyone but you?"

Was that grammaticaly incorrect statement NOT directed at me? Since it was posted directly after one of my posts, I assumed it was.

BTW- what is this "consequence" you speak of? That some police superintendents (ones who are racist) will run around, stupidly comparing legal gun ownership to racist agendas? I mean, isn't that great- a man who carries a gun for living trying to take guns away from everyone else & is willing to use the (WAY overused) race card to do it...? Makes sense, right?

I think that gun laws should be tightened, but only the slightest bit. For example, right now i can go to my local academy, and buy a shotgun, right off the shelf. You should be required to consent to a bg check, as i don't think texas currently has any kind of restricting law, other than proper licensing and paperwork. If anyone can correct me on this, please do so as I am not sure, I just speak from an abstract experience from a year or so ago.